Brown Mountain Diamond, an artist-run space in the hills of north Kilkenny, will present RURAL LIFE 1.0, an exhibition of new work on Sunday, October 12 at 2:00pm.

From May to September this year, six artists immersed themselves in rural life, collaborating with community groups from beekeepers and birdwatchers to choirs, farmers, and conservation clubs.

Taking place at Revanagh, Coolcullen, Co. Kilkenny, R93 E089 - the location does not come up on Google maps - the exhibition brings together sound, sculpture, film and installation, all shaped by the everyday textures of north Co. Kilkenny.

Funded through Kilkenny County Council’s public art programme 2024-2026 and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the project reflects the council’s commitment to ambitious public art that engages communities in meaningful ways, the organisers said.

Based in a former farm complex with outbuildings, yards and fields, Brown Mountain Diamond has quickly become a place for experimentation and exchange, where artists and communities make work together, grounded in the realities and possibilities of rural life.

In May, artist Sharon Phelan worked with the Mid-Kilkenny Beekeepers and the Kilkenny branch of BirdWatch Ireland.

Her work focuses on sound, voice, and the poetics of place. From dawn chorus walks to recording the hum of bees, Sharon created transformative listening experiences that attune audiences to the everyday yet extraordinary soundscapes of rural Kilkenny.

June saw artist John Byrne engage with the Ballyfoyle Agricultural Show, Kilkenny Mart, and the Kilkenny Gospel Choir. His witty film 'BootBoy' (2025) documents his entry of a decorated Wellington boot into a competition at the local show.

Installed in Brown Mountain Diamond’s converted pig house turned cinema, and accompanied by the boot itself, Byrne’s work reflects on competition, failure, and community participation.

In July, Maria McKinney collaborated with the Kilkenny Shooting and Conservation Clubs and the Hillgrove Clay Shooting Club. Hosting a barbecue and shooting competition, she explored the heritage and complexity of shooting culture in Ireland.

McKinney’s resulting works transform spent shotgun shells into intricate 'road signs' depicting pheasants and mallards, symbols that reflect both tradition and modern debates around conservation and rural life.

August saw Paddy Bloomer work with the Conahy Vintage Club and the Mothel Church Tractor Run. A day trip to the Moynalty Steam Threshing Festival inspired a large collaborative scarecrow sculpture.

Paddy’s participation in the Mothel Tractor Run, complete with a chaise longue hitched to his tractor and a live tin whistle player, turned local roads into a rolling artwork.

In September, Bog Cottage artists Orla Meagher and Roberta Murray arrived to learn with the Acorn project.

They embarked on the creation of a real pond on the Brown Mountain Diamond land, following ecological guidance and local know-how.

Rooted in their practice of building imaginative 'worlds', Bog Cottage's contribution blends environmental restoration with community engagement, linking art-making to the cycles of water, land, and biodiversity.

At its heart, RURAL LIFE 1.0 is about collaboration between artists and community groups; local knowledge and experimental practice; heritage and innovation.

By hosting residencies in the fields and farm buildings of north Kilkenny, Brown Mountain Diamond has created space for artists and communities to work side-by-side, producing art that is as much about process and participation as final outcomes.

All are invited to witness the results of five months of creativity, dialogue, and community spirit in the hills of north Kilkenny.

Guided tours will be given at 2:30p.m, 4:00p.m and 5:30p.m. Artworks are outdoors - in the haybarn, the old milking parlour, shed, and surrounding fields - so dress accordingly is the advice.